Whether you’re entertaining or just settling in after a day out at Lake Bella Vista, dimmer switches can be a great tool for creating the perfect lighting in your Bentonville, AR home. Like other electrical components, they can be prone to issues from time to time. While it can be normal for your switch to feel slightly warm to the touch when in operation, it should never feel hot. If this is the case with your switch, you need to stop using it and find out what is causing the issue.
The Dimmer Switch Is Overloaded
The main cause of warm or hot dimmer switches is overloading. Every switch has a maximum load it can handle. When the load, measured in watts, is exceeded due to too many lightbulbs running off the switch, it can lead to an overly warm or hot switch.
To see if your switch is overloaded, you first need to take the plastic cover off to find the maximum load rating. Typically, it is 600 watts for incandescent bulbs and 150 watts for CFLs and LEDs. Then, add up the wattage of the bulbs connected to the dimmer switch to see if it exceeds the rating. You may want to reach out to Allstate Electric and Communications in Bentonville for a professional inspection.
Steps to Take
If you discover that the dimmer switch is overloaded, there are a few steps to take to correct the issue. Consider installing a new dimmer switch to increase the capacity. Some of the most advanced switches are designed to have a capacity of 1000 to 1500 watts.
You can also consider installing new bulbs that use less energy to reduce the wattage that the switch must support. Remove any fluorescent lights that are in use and switch to LEDs or CFLs, which will allow you to have more bulbs on the switch without it becoming warm to the touch.
Some of the wires can also be rewired by a professional electrician. The expert can add an additional dimmer switch and switch the lights into two separate groups to prevent the switch from becoming overloaded in the future. This will allow you to continue using the same number of lights without encountering potential issues.
Feel free to reach out to the experts at Allstate Electric and Communications in Bentonville at your convenience. Our friendly team of specialists will be happy to provide you with more information and help you resolve the issue of having a warm dimmer switch in your home.